Murphy and I kept busy this morning. Murphy mainly worked on the lawn mower deck and cleared out the garage. He is now ready to put on the blade gears.
I mainly did odds and ends around the place, like unloading the dishwasher. Made the bed, picked up some paper, and put them in their proper place.
One thing I started to wonder about is. How cameras and photos change how we document things. I have been reading the letters of Sigmund Freud. At this time, the notes I'm reading are letters he sent to his wife before they were married. How he expresses himself. The feelings and description behind his letters. I'm sure other letters were written with such fullness.
They were photos during Freud's time. It looks like the first camera came out in the 1800's. Only in the 1880s did the camera start coming mainstream.
But like a lot of things. When something is new, it could be costly.
I recall microwaves being over $500.
I have photography before the 1860s. And it was Costly to have a picture taken.
Right now, a stamp costs .63¢ for a basic first-class stamp to be delivered in the United States. Here is the RATE HISTORY of postage. I now wonder if more people wrote and used the post office. If the postage price goes down. Supply and demand. Also, they took the distance the mail had to TRAVEL.
When I buy a book of 20 stamps, it will last me one to two months.
I found this site called LETTERS OF NOTE and pressed the SUPRISE ME link. Here is the letter WRITTEN BY TESLA TO PRESIDENT HOOVER.
I find letters and diaries interesting.
As Murphy was watching Gunsmoke, I went over and visited my Aunt Eve. Stayed a little under an hour. Her negative wares on me. This time, she wasn't all that negative. This visit.
Somewhat caught up on the family news.
My cousin's 2nd cousin, once removed Archie, was living on the West Coast, and someone behind his apartment was shot and killed. He gave his two-week notice and has a job lined up in Sandpoint.
My first cousin, Gelya, who is 77 years old, is still in the workforce. She takes care of people in their homes. Just like I did. Plus, she works six days a week.
The next day after my cousin Calvin's memorial service. My Aunt Ulanda had a tree fall on her house. I'm still trying to figure out the damage. Her grandson Chip came over with a chainsaw.
That's enough about family news.
Afterward, we went into town and bought just under $70 worth of groceries. And pick up 3 months of pills. Two bottles which came to just under $30.
Ground beef was on sale for $2.98 a pound. Got a box of graham crackers for just $2.00 a box. And now I'm trying to figure out one more item. Oh, grapes are just under $2.00 a pound.
We walked into Super One, one of our local grocery stores. Some organization was raffling off a rifle. Didn't check it out.
Got one bill today. The water bill. Just under $65 is about 8% of Murphy's Social Security check.
I have my interview with Social Security over the phone on the 13th. I hope my checks start in October.
Still determining how far they will go back or if they even will.
Coffee is on, and stay safe.
...now most of our mail is junk!
ReplyDeleteTechnology has really changed over the course of my life.
ReplyDeleteI am glad your Aunt wasn't so negative this time. When I move papers here the only place they go is into the rubbish bin. Anything I need to keep gets filed away the same day it arrives, so everything else is just rubbish. I leave it in one place for the cat to sleep on and throw it out when the cat hair is too much.
ReplyDeleteLiving on a Retirement Income is an adjustment, since, the cost of Living keeps going up but Pensions are fixed income for the most part. I remember when things like Video Recorders, TV, Microwaves were so expensive I didn't own any. I think right now Cellphones can be a ridiculous price for the newest models but people can't seem to get by without the latest one coming out no matter how much it costs them. I miss Letters, nobody Writes them anymore, hardly anyone sends Cards anymore either and I know now everyone has a Camera on their Phones, few people actually make hard copies of Photographs and keep them.
ReplyDeleteNew technology is always expensive. There was a time when I almost paid as much for a 9-pin dot matrix printer as I recently paid for by large, photo quality printer. And you can pick up a regular printer for close to $100 these days.
ReplyDeleteA basic rate sewer water bill here is now over $100 a month. The city has added on some fee, for them to use however they want, following in Portland's footsteps that way. It can be so difficult to just pay the monthly bills-water/sewer, garbage, which is a private company, and electric. Ever since the electric company put in new digital meters my electric bill is way down from what it had been, meaning the old meter I had for years probably was malfunctioning and overcharging me considerably.
ReplyDeleteOur water and sewer rate is over $70 a month now. It goes up every year.
ReplyDeleteRates and costs have all gone up here, too. Valerie
ReplyDeleteI remember using the instant Kodak cameras back when I was a kid. I love the digital camera I have now.
ReplyDeleteYep, so many things changed over the years, some for the better and some made things less fun.
ReplyDeleteWhen there were no phones, all people could do was write. And then when long distance calls were expensive, it was cheaper to write. A book of stamps lasts me a year or more. I only really mail birthday cards.
ReplyDeleteChange is both good and bad. Some things become easier and safer and others become worse. Sounds like your retirement is going well.
ReplyDeleteI have a cousin I write to a few times a month. I enjoy writing and receiving letters. We used to write each other often when we were kids. Then many years later we picked it up again. I also have an aunt I write to. She is older and lost her husband a few years back. She tells me she enjoys the cards and notes.
ReplyDelete